THE RING OF TIME
by Trooper 3.6
Summary: If only we could fix the mistakes of the past...yeah like that's ever going to happen. Follow along as Mendanber discovers the backwards and completly pointless outcome of time travel.


Author's notes: Okay people here we go this is my first FanFic for the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. I've been trying to find something original to write about it but I think I'll just have fun with this one. I'm very busy with other things like school and other fanfics. So I'll do the best I can on this. This is kind of a fable about time travel, for starters I would just like to say, I was very unhappy about the resolution they came up with for getting Mendanbar out of the Castle, HOW ABOUT WAY TO LONG! Come on can we have quick solution. And Mendanbar missed out on his only son's childhood, and all those years, come on. Not that I am complaining, the enchanted forest books are my favorite books by far I love all four of them. But I would have liked a more effective solution. But relax I have no intension of defying history. This story will show the futility of time travel, inspired by the online cartoon RedvsBlue. DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Enchanted forest chronicles, or any of the characters, the storyline is based off of something I saw on an online cartoon, but it's got some touches of my own, so please don't sue me. Enjoy and please review.

(picking up just after Daystar threw the key into the fire to reveal the door)

Daystar barely managed to lift himself to his feet. The after effects of the spell were still wearing off. He looked at the door bound by two majestic pillars ahead of him. He decided not to open it, you never know where things like that could lead or what could be on the other side of them. "What is that?" came a voice from behind him. Daystar turned around to see Shiara staring at the door wide-eyed and full of confusion.

"I don't know, but I don't think I want to find out," replied Daystar. He looked behind her and saw that about a dozen elves had captured all the wizards in the room. He could not see Antorell anywhere though. Suddenly something hard hit Daystar's head from behind and knocked him to the floor. Shiara shrieked. Daystar could feel what he figured to be a staff, pressing down on him from above.

"Let them go, or the boy and the girl die," came a menacing voice from above Daystar. Daystar looked up from the floor to see the elves that were holding down the wizards on the floor get up and back away. The once captured wizards helped themselves to their feet and brushed themselves off. Daystar turned his head as far around as he could to see another dozen wizards standing behind him pointing their staffs at the elves. Just then the door from the hallway opened and more wizards came in dragging along Telemain and Morwen. It was plain to see that Telemain was injured; his arm was cut open and bleeding heavily. The wizards dropped the magician and the witch right beside Daystar and Shiara, Morwen quickly saw to Telemain's wounded arm. The wizard who had knocked Daystar down, quickly pushed Morwen away from Telemain. "Stay down witch!" he ordered.

"If I don't treat it now, he could bleed to death," Morwen objected, her face was twisted with concern.

"Good it will save us the trouble," said the wizard with a wicked grin. The wizard quickly turned to one of his companions. "You contact Kazul and tell her that if she ever wants to see her witch, her magician or her little prince again, then she best surrender immediately," the wizard nodded, his staff began to glow and he repeated the message the head-wizard had told him into it.

"If you intend to use us as hostages than you might as well let me treat him," said Morwen. "A dead hostage would do you no good at all especially when negotiating with the king of the Dragons," she finished with a sense of urgency.

The head wizard rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine, but try to be quick about it and don't try anything stupid," growled the head wizard. Morwen nodded and began treating Telemain's wound. Telemain kept silent although it was clear he was in much pain. Six more wizards entered the great hall.

"We've won!" one of them cheered. "The Dragons and the elves are leaving!"

"Good, rally as many as you can and form a perimeter around the castle," ordered the head wizard. "And you," he pointed to the one who had sent the message to Kazul. "Tell them to send in the Queen for further negotiations," he said. The wizard nodded and repeated the message into his staff. The other wizard nodded and left the great hall with the other five.

'Queen,' Daystar thought. Kazul had not told him anything about their being a Queen of the Enchanted Forest. It would make sense however. Someone had to be at the head of all this, Yes the Dragons and the Forest were allies but there must have been some icon to the Royal family left to organize the elves and the defense of the castle. But who could it be and why had he not seen her yet. Daystar thought in silence for a few more minutes. He knew better than to speak out loud, with the wizards around.

After about five minutes of silence, another wizard emerged from the door and approached the head wizard. "We have established a perimeter around the castle," he said. "The Dragons are lingering in the woods, but they know better than to try anything."

"Excellent!" said the head wizard. "Has the Queen arrived yet?" he asked with a menacing smile.

"As a matter of fact yes," said the wizard. "Antorell of course took the liberty of escorting her," he finished with a grin.

"Good, send them in and return to the perimeter," ordered the head wizard.

"Yes," the wizard replied and exited the great hall.

"I suppose we'll be meeting the Queen now," said Daystar.

"Oh you have no idea," said Morwen, as if she were attempting a sarcastic comment.

Daystar was puzzled by this comment. He did not understand what possible meaning it could have. He wanted to ask her but thought better of it as he saw the look on her face as she continued treating Telemain's arm. He decided he would know soon enough. And he was right. The door to the Great Hall opened again and in stepped Antorell and the Queen. Daystar's eyes widened as he saw the face of the Queen of the Enchanted Forest. A face he had seen since as long as he could remember, her hair was tied back in two braids as usual, Daystar blinked and looked again. "Mother!" he gasped in surprise. Daystar's mother, continued alongside Antorell, her head was held low with a sense of defeat. They were only ten yards away when they stopped.

"Gentlemen," began Antorell with a sadistic smile. "I give you Queen Cimorene of the Enchanted Forest. Wife of King Mendanbar, former handmaiden of King Kazul and the proverbial thorn in our sides," he finished, a faint wave of chuckles from the other wizards swept the Great Hall. He took a step back and swiftly clubbed Cimorene on the back of the head with his staff, she fell to the ground.

Daystar was enraged. There was no word nor curse that could describe or express is anger at that moment. He clenched his fists to the point were he could feel his nails begin to dig into his palms; he could only manage one word. "MOTHER!" he screamed with rage as he quickly leaped to his feet and charged Antorell. He had barely made three steps before a jolt of pain engulfed his entire body. He fell to the ground like a rock. Antorell who had dodged back in fear returned to his position and gave a smile toward the head wizard who had disabled Daystar.

"Daystar!" Shiara's voice shrieked. But Daystar could not even turn towards it.

"The next one of you who tries anything like that will be incinerated!" came the voice of the head wizard. "Is that clear!" he demanded.

"Yes," said Morwen, speaking for everyone.

Daystar was beginning to get his movement back. The turned his head to his right to see his mother on the ground beside him. "Mother," he managed to whisper.

Cimorene turned towards her son. A single tear streamed down her right eye. "Daystar…I'm so sorry," she whispered back.

Daystar wanted to apologize himself but was cut off by the voice of the head wizard who was now standing just above them. "Ha, well Cimorene, we have dreamed of nothing but his for years," he laughed.

"Your all as stuck up as you've always been, you would think you would all mature over seventeen years," Cimorene said glaring up into the eyes of the head wizard. Daystar tried to object to his mother's bold words but all he could manage was a coughing fit.

"Ah, ah…be careful Cimorene," said the head wizard in a soft voice of warning, the voice a parent would use toward a child after making a simple mistake. "Only a fool, makes joking insults when she should be offering condolences. You know that none of us would mind torturing you and your son to death in the worst possible way," he warned her. Cimorene continued to glare at him square in the eye. "In any case, I suppose that is inevitable at this point," the head wizard leaned down close to her. "But to give you an exquisite example of the agony that the remainder of your life shall consist of I believe we shall start with your dear husband, of whom's freedom you have put so much time and effort into," he said and gave her a grin the likes of which Daystar had only seen in nightmares. With that the head wizard stood up and walked in the direction of the magic door that had appeared earlier. Daystar still could not look back and Antorell had pressed Cimorene's head back down with his staff. The sound of the door opening could be heard and for a long moment there was absolute silence. The head wizard screaming abruptly broke the silence. "ZEMENAR!" the head wizard roared with rage. "Curse you Zemenar!" he screamed followed by a mass of curses.

"What's wrong?" asked Antorell. Daystar finally gained enough strength to look back, he saw the head wizard standing alone in the open door way of the magic door with a face as red as a rose.

"HE'S GONE!" bellowed the head wizard. "THE DRATED KING IS GONE!"

(SEVENTEEN YEARS EARLIER, INSIDE THE MAGIC DOOR)

Mendanbar awoke; his head felt three sizes to small for his brain. He picked himself up off the floor and scanned his new surroundings with confusion. It was very bright and the air had traces of all the colors floating through the air. 'Where am I,' he thought to himself. He took a few steps forward he was in a gigantic room even bigger than the Great Hall of the Castle. The entire room was bare with a white floor, possibly marble. It looked as if it were concealed inside some kind of gel bubble of which it was impossible to see through. There was a bright light shining in the center of the room but Mendanbar did not think to much of it at the time. He was at the far end of the room and felt very small and helpless. He quickly shook himself back into his senses. "Okay think Mendanbar," he though out loud to himself. "The wizards captured you, Zemenar opened some kind of door, he knocked you out, now you're here," he explained to himself. "The question is, where is here?" he asked himself. No answer came to him from himself.

"YOU ARE AT THE HEART OF THE FOREST," came an unknown voice with a sense of power behind it.

"What?" said Mendanbar in surprise. "Who's there? Who are you?" he asked.

"I AM THE ELEMENTAL OF THE FOREST," the voice said. Mendanbar traced the voice this time it was coming from the light at the center of the room. The light was about five times the size of Mendanbar's head. "I AM MASTER OF THE MAGIC OF THE FOREST AND GUARDIAN OF THE HEART OF THE FOREST," said the voice.

Mendanbar walked toward the light until he was only a few yards away. He bowed and greeted the Elemental. "Greetings, I am…" Mendanbar began.

"KING MENDANBAR OF THE ENCHANTED FOREST, YES I KNOW WHO YOUR ARE MY MASTER, AND YOU NEED NOT BOW TO ME, I AM YOU HUMBLE SERVENT," said the elemental humbly but keeping it's sense of power.

"My servant?" asked Mendanbar "But I thought you said you were the master of the magic?" he said. "Doesn't that make you in charge? Yes I use magic and harness it but I am not in charge of it," said Mendanbar.

"YES YOU ARE RIGHT, AND UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES YOU WOULD BE CORRECT AND I WOULD NOT BE AT YOU SERVICE. BUT THIS INVLOVES NOT ONLY YOUR SAFTY AND THAT OF THE ROYAL FAMILY BUT THE EXISTANCE OF THE FOREST ITSELF," said the Elemental.

"Go on," said Mendanbar.

"I TRUST BY NOW YOU ARE AWARE THAT THE WIZARDS SEEK TO DRAIN THE ENCHANTED FOREST OF ALL IT'S MAGIC JUST AS THEY DID TO THEIR HOMELAND CENTRUIES AGO. WHICH YOU ALSO KNOW WOULD DESTROY THE FOREST, IT WOULD BE A WASTELAND, STRIPPED OF ALL LIFE AND ENERGY," the Elemental explained.

"Naturally we certainly cannot let that happen can we?" asked Mendanbar with a sense of sarcasm. "Now all you have to do is get me out of here and I will see to it that they are not permitted to do so," said Mendanbar.

"THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY OUT OF HERE I AM AFRAID," said the Elemental.

"How?" asked Mendanbar.

"BY THE VERY WAVES OF TIME ITSELF," the Elemental explained.

"You mean time travel?" asked Mendanbar.

"CORRECT," said the Elemental. "AS MASTER OF MAGIC I AM GRANTED THE POWER, FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY OF COURES, TO NAVIGATE THE KING OF THE ENCHANTED FOREST OR A KNIGHT OF HIS CHOOSING THROUGH THE FIELDS OF TIME TO CORRECT WHAT WAS WRONGED THAT THE FOREST SHOULD NOT BE DESTROYED. THIS POWER CAN BE USED ONLY ONCE IN A MILLENIUM, AND IN THIS CASE IS YOURS TO HARNESS."

Mendanbar was unsure of this. Wouldn't there be consequences for meddling with the delicate balance of time? Could he possibly mess up and makes things worse? "Are you sure there is no other way?" Mendanbar asked doubtfully.

"NO, I KNOW OF ALL THINGS IN THE FOREST AND THUS FAR THE ONLY POSSIBLE SOLUTION IS FOR YOU TO WAIT SEVENTEEN MORE YEARS FOR YOU CHILD TO GROW UP AND LEARN TO USE YOUR SWORD, HE WILL THEN BE ABLE TO TAKE DOWN THE SHIELD AROUND THE CASTLE AND RELEASE YOU FROM THIS PLACE," the Elemental explained.

"Seventeen years! Mendanbar exclaimed. He hated the thought of spending seventeen years in this place. He'd never see his wife, or his child to be born, his child would be an adult by the time he got out. And he defiantly was not going to spend any more time away from his wife than necessary. "Very well then," he said. "How do I get started?" he asked with a sigh. The Elemental glowed brighter and a shining bracelet appeared on Mendanbar's arm.

"THIS IS THE RING OF TIME YOU MAY TRAVEL TO ANY TIME YOU WISH FOR AS LONG AS YOU WISH, YOU WILL NOT AGE UNLESS YOU WISH TO. YOU MAY ALSO TRAVEL TO THE FUTURE IF YOU WISH, SIMPLY TELL IT WHERE AND WHEN YOU WISH TO BE," said the Elemental.

"So all I have to do is go back in time and change some key events and stop myself from getting trapped in here?" said Mendanbar more to himself than to anyone.

"THAT IS WITHIN YOUR POWER, DO YOU HAVE A PLAN?" asked the Elemental.

"Well the first thing I've got to do, is sabotage the wizards in their earlier attempts," began Mendanbar.

"THAT IS A GIVEN," said the Elemental.

"And even if I can't fix _everything, _since all of the real problems stem from the wizards stealing my sword, all I have to do is stop them from stealing it," explained Mendanbar.

"IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE IT FIGURED OUT," said the Elemental.

"I guess so, I have knowledge of everything that happened before hand so as I guess as long as I'm not seen or caught by anyone who knows me it should be simple enough. Well then here we go. Goodbye…Elemenetal…You know while we're on the subject do you have a name?" asked Mendanbar.

"A NAME?" the Elemental repeated, sounding somewhat dumbstruck. "WELL UH…IT'S MERVIN," the Elemental said almost apologetically, his voice seemed to have lost it's powerful edge.

"Mervin?" Mendanbar repeated, heavily resisting the urge to laugh.

"My parents were very rich," the Elemental said.

"Oh…well…very well then," said a confused Mendanbar. "Farewell Mervin. Send me to the Mountains of Morning about two years ago," he requested.

"VERY WELL, SEE YOU IN A FEW DECADES, YOUR MAJESTY," said Mervin, the power returned to his voice.

Mendanbar vanished. About five seconds latter, Mendanbar reappeared in front of Mervin. "Mervin, you've got to send me back!" he exclaimed.

"TO TWO YEARS AGO?" asked Mervin. "BUT YOU JUST LEFT?" said Mervin in a state of utter confusion.

"No, no, not two years ago to a few days before the attack of the castle," Mendanbar quickly insisted with a sense of urgency. "Oh drat it all I totally messed everything up!" he exclaimed.

"HOW?" asked Mervin.

Author's notes: That's right people, cliffhanger. Sorry but I don't want to put too much into one chapter. And I want to make sure you all read the next chapter. See ya and please review. (Oh and also feel free to check out some of my other masterpieces).


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